Toy pin wheel



June 6, 1950 J. P. DONAHUE 2,510,336

TOY PIN WHEEL Fiied Jan. 26, 1946 INVENTOR. James P Donafme A TTORNE vs Patented June 6, 1950 l UNITED STATES PATNT OFFICE TOY PIN WHEEL James P. Donahue, Oak Park, Ill.

Application January 26, 1946, Serial No. 643,550

1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to toy pinwheels made of paper or the like. and it has for its general aim the provision of a pinwheel of increased efiiciency and presenting an attractive appearance.

More specifically stated, the object of the invention is to provide a blank which may formed into a pinwheel having vane elements of novel and advantageous character and connected with the supporting pin in a manner such as to present to an impinging air stream working surfaces of enlarged area.

The objects of the invention thus generally set forth, together with other and ancillary advantages, are attained by the construction and arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a pinwheel constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevational view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the pinwheel is formed.

In general, the improved pinwheel is formed from a blank 8, preferably of generally pentagonal shape and cut to form a central circular base section Ill and a plurality of contiguous, radially disposed vane segments H, five vanes being employed in the preferred embodiment.

Carried by the vane segments ll and integral therewith are hub tabs I2 adapted to be brought together and held in overlapping coaxial relation by a headed supporting pin l3 passing through the central or base portion [0.

In accordance with my invention, the vane segments H are especially shaped and so connected with the central supporting pin l3 as to increase substantially the effective working surface areas presented to the impinging air stream. Thus the vane segments are made of increased width through the provision of convex leading and trailing edges i l and i5, and they are formed with narrow portions or straps l6 projecting laterally, substantially at right angles thereto constituting, in the assembled form of the wheel, connecting links between the vanes proper and the hub tabs I2.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the blank H1 is so cut that the portion of the peripheral edge of the blank comprising the leading edge [4 of each vane is convexly shaped and is then curved reversely as at I! to form the peripheral edge of its connecting strap iii of concave shape. On the other hand, the edge I 5 of each vane segment which extends in a generally radial direction and comprises the trailing edge of each vane is of continuous convex curvature and forms the opposite edge of the strap for the next or adjacent vane. Thus the vanes are made of maximum width consistent with adequate strength in the straps 16.

The hub tabs I2 are in the nature of extensions of the straps, being shown in Fig. 3 as projecting well beyond the tips of the vane segments II. By this arrangement, the straps are in effect lengthened so as to reduce the degree of twist necessary to be imparted to the vanes in fastening them together at the center of the pinwheel. This is important in that it further enlarges the forwardly facing areas of the vanes presented to the impinging air stream by requiring only a minimum amount of vane surface to be turned back into overlying relation with itself when the pinwheel is formed from the blank 9. Also a reduction in the degree of twist imparted to the vane segment reduces the frictional resistance between the hub tabs and the pin I3.

In practice, the pinwheel is mounted upon a suitable support such as a stick 18, one end of which is apertured transversely to receive the pin l3. Preferably, a collar i9 is interposed between the stick and central or base portion [0 of the wheel; and, if desired, a spacing sleeve 20 may be interposed between the base portion and the overlapping hub tabs 12 as shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that when thus assembled, the straps are relatively disposed approximately at right angles, and since they are relatively narrow, they interpose a minimum of obstruction to the impinging air stream.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the hub tabs l2 are offset slightly relative to the straps [6 so that the trailing edge 2| of each strap merges directly into the adjacent edge of the hub tab, thereby forming an approximately straight line tangential to the hub tab. With the vanes fastened together at their centers, this line is intersected by the leading edge 22 of the adjoining strap at substantially right angles as indicated at 23 in Fig. 1.

I claim as my invention:

A blank for a pinwheel comprising a central or base portion, a plurality of contiguous vane segments extending radially from said base portion, a narrow strap portion extending laterally from each vane segment substantially at right angles thereto and projecting well beyond the tip of the adjacent vane segment in the form of a tab, the tabs being adapted to be secured together in overlapping coaxial relation with each other and said base portion, the radial edge and the portion of the peripheral edge adjacent the radial edge of each vane segment being of convex curvature and the peripheral edge of each strap portion being of concave curvature, said peripheral edges merging smoothly together.

JAMES P. DONAHUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

